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His Promises: As We Journey On
by Rev. Moses K. Ndereva,
Pastor – Lifeline Community Fellowship
Precious Promises For Your Journey
Isa. 41:8-10
8 “But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Introduction:
Ill. The Context: God is confronting the heathen for their idolatry, but is comforting Israel concerning their relationship with Himself. In these 3 verses, God gives us, His children, some reasons to be encouraged. Some may say, "I don’t have anything to be happy about, it just seems that everything is against me." Thank God, even when we forget His promises, He still remembers. (Ill. Old man, who was dying, couldn’t remember God’s promises, but was reminded that God never forgets.) In these verses, God gives you, His children, some precious promises for your journey.
The question may come to mind, "Why does God promise us anything? After all, it is us who ought to be promising Him things." Well, it doesn’t work like that. When we get saved, we begin to live under the economy of grace. From a human standpoint nothing God does makes very much sense, (Ill. Some things He does.) Why does He do this? Notice verses 8-9, He picked us, we did not choose Him. Therefore, He will do everything to see that we are looked after in our journey.
With this in mind, notice these precious promises that God has given you for your journey.
1. The Promise of His Presence
A. His Presence Is Powerful – His presence has the power to drive away fear –
2 Tim. 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
B. His Presence Is Personal – Matt. 28:20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Ill. Not an angel, but the Lord Himself – John 6:20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” – the "! AM.") Ill. New Chinese believer named Lo who found Matt. 28:20 and took it personally.
C. His Presence Is Perpetual –
Heb. 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”–
Ill. Where life can lead, still never alone!
2. The Promise of His Person
A. There Is A Relationship – (Thy) This is personal. (Ill. I need to know what He can do for me.)
B. There Is A Realization – He is GOD! He can do anything!
Eph. 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”
Psa. 115:3
Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
C. There Is A Reality – (Ill. "Dismayed" – To look anxiously about.) If God is my God, and He is an able God, then why do need to fear, fret or faint? My God is on the throne! (Ill. His mighty deeds. He hasn’t changed! – Mal. 3:6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.; Heb. 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.) (Ill. We need to remember just who He is!)
3. The Promise of His Power
(God’s promise here is three-fold. Ill. Yea = "Surely" There are three aspects of His power that we can count on.)
A. He Will Strengthen Us – He will give us the power to see every duty and every day to it’s conclusion. There will be grace and strength for every need – 2 Cor. 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ; Isa. 40:13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?
B. He Will Support Us – He will give us what we need, when we need it, in the exact proportions that we require it – Phil. 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.. Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
C. He Will Sustain Us – God will keep us and get us safely through the journey until we all reach Heaven. God did not save us to abandon us along the way – 1 Pet. 1:5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. , (Ill. Present, Passive, Participle)
The Egyptian in 1 Sam. 30:11-13
They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat— 12 part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.
13 David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?”
He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago.
– God doesn’t operate like that!
Phil. 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
1 Thes. 5:23
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That’s my kind of guarantee!
Concussion:
I praise the Lord for His promises! Don’t you? However, let’s be honest, we do not all live like we believe these things, do we? Tonight might be a good night for you to come before the Lord and thank Him for His perfect Word and the promises it contains. Just to thank Him for being faithful and dependable. Perhaps you need to come down here and get forgiveness for your lack of faith in Him and His promises.
Our journey may be long, or it might be short. Whatever the length of it, or whatever we may face, I am thankful that we can count on God and His promises during our journey.
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